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HISTORY 



OF THE 



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A NATIVE OF THE NORTHERS LIMITS OF THE TEMPERATE ZONE. 



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WM. R. PRINCE, Nitrseries, Flushing, New-York, has just published 
in pamphlet form, a complete history of this great Chinese esculent, which fur- 
nishes the most nutritious food for over 350 millions of people who never eat 
meat. There are more than Fifty varieties, comprising every form — round 
ovate, oval, oblong and very long ; and they are of different colors — snow white 
pale straw, yellow and pink tinge. It yields continual annual crops, without 
re-planting. It is destined to entirely supersede the Potato in our Northern , 
Eastern and Western States, and in all other Northern countries of the earth. 
The following constitutes its principal claims to universal adoption : 

1st. Its great hardihood, and the capacity of withstanding the cold of the 
severest winters, in the open ground. 

2d. Its facility and simplicity of culture, its adaption to all soils, and espe- 
cially to such as have hitherto been deemed barren and valueless. 

3d. Its productiveness and cheapness, which far exceed the Potato, the crop 
being 600 to 800 bushels to the acre. 

4th. Its nutritious and farinacious qualities, comprising all the essential 
constituents of an esculent of the highest alimentary character. Its combination 
of nitrogen, which gives to it a most distinctive character, equivalent to meat 
and wheat combined, and thus rendering the use of meat, as food, entirely un- 
necessary. 

5th. Its unexceptional excellence of flavor, and freedom from all insipid 
taste. 

6th. Its long keeping and freedom from all rot or decay, in the ground or 
out of it, and its retention of its excellence for more than a year. 

7th. It is a purifying and highly nutritious constitutional food, capable of 
developing the muscular power of man to its fullest capacity. 

8th. The root being perfectly hardy, the crop, when so desired, may be 
allowed to remain during the entire Winter, in the open ground. 

PAMPHLET, 15 Cents. 



Prince's Primary Treatise on all Diseases, with a List of all 
Remedials. Price, |30 Cents. 






^ 



CHINESE NOETHEEN YAM. 

DIOSCOREA BATATAS, 
AND ITS FIFTY VARIETIES, OF EVERY FORM AND OF VARIOUS COLORS. 



History of its Character and Constituents, as the Cheapest and Most 

Nutritious of all Food, and as a Sovereign Preventive 

of Want and Famine. 



By WM. R. PRINCE, M.D., LL.D., 
Linn^an Nurseries, Flushing, New- York, March 1, 1869. 

All letters must be addressed to me, and they must enclose return 
stamps or will not be noticed. 



THE NORTHERN YAM. 



■ Tnis remarkable plant is a native of Northern China and Tartary, and the 
northern limits of the Temperate Zone. Having been the first to introduce 
this most important of all Esculents to our country, and to urge its adoption 
by my countrymen, more especially of the Northern, Eastern and Western 
States, I have declared in my previous publications, that when I shall have 
passed from earth, I solicit no other boon from my country, than the recogni- 
tion of whatever service 1 may have thus rendered to my brother man, by the 
introduction of this plant as a sovereign and permanent provision of cheap and 
nutritious food for the poor, and as an absolute preventive of famine through- 
out all time. When making our first experiments with this Esculent, some of 
our cultivators having heard of the Chinese practice adopted there in extreme 
cases of scantiness of land, when trenching four or five feet is pursued, assumed 
therefrom the erroneous idea that this was the necessary culture required. 
Nothing could be more erroneous. The usual growth of the root is 10 to 
12 inches in length, and such is the average crop in ordinary farm culture , 
an extra growth to 15 or even 20 inches may be forced by deeper culture and 
more deeply enriching the, soil. But we now have eight varieties of every form, 
yome are round, some ovate, others short oval, others a longer oval, and then 
we have oblong varieties that average 5 to 6 inches in length, and others aver- 
aging about 7 to 8 inches, and longer ones of 10 to 12 inches in length. They 
vary in color, several varieties having snow white flesh, others straw color, yel- 
low, and others of a reddish tinge. Thus every cultivator can choose a variety 
to suit himself, the same as with potatoes. In the vicinity of Pekin, 40° 
north, they cultivate more than fifty varieties, which are particularly described 
in their Agricultural Books. These improved varieties have not been obtained 
by chance, as our seedling potatoes have been, but societies have devoted their 
special attention to the attainment of superior improved varieties for ages be- 
fore Europe had emerged from its barbarism. 

I have announced the Chinese Northern Yam to be the most important Es- 
culent as food for Man, which Cod and Nature in their benign provision for our 
race, have placed upon our globe, and I base this assertion on the following 
facts : 



No other plant which ha8 ever been proposed as a substitute for the potato 
has presented claims so meritorious, and so well entitled«to success as this, 
whose various estimable properties place it among the most desirable acquisi- 
tions of the Vegetable department. 

1st. Its hardihood and the capacity of withstanding the cold of the most 
frigid climes during the winter in the open ground. 

2d. Its facility and simplicity of culture, so readily comprehended by any 
laborer, and its adaptation to such a variety of locations, and seemingly to all 
soils ; but more especially to such light and hitherto neglected lands as have 
been deemed valueless for other Agricultural purposes. 

3d. Its Productiveness and Cheapness, in which it far exceeds the potato, or 
any other vegetable. When its culture shall be properly established, the crop of 
the long varieties will not be less than 600 to 800 bushels, and of the round 
and oval varieties 400 to 500 bushels to the acre, and still more is ardently and 
confidently looked for. Its propagation is more rapid than that of any other 
esculent, and it is thereby proven to be, in proportion to its actual value and 
importance, the most cheaply produced of all food. 

4th. Its Nutritious and Farinaceous qualities, comprising the essential con- 
stituents of an Esculent of tne highest alimentary character. It will fill the 
positions of both Meat and Wheat as aliment, the flour made from it surpassing 
in pure whiteness and farinaceous excellence the best obtained from wheat, with 
which it is destined hereafter to come into successful competition on account 
of its cheapness. It also possesses a peculiar distinctive character superior to 
all other Vegetables, from its combination of Nitrogen, the same constituent as 
is existent in Meat, which thus becomes blended and assimilated with properties 
the same as are found in the best Wheaten flour, in Corn Starch, and in Milk. 

It therefore presents the distinctive characteristics of substances essentially 
alimentary, and meat as food is rendered entirely unnecessary. 

5th. Its unexceptionable excellence of flavor, and freedom from any sweet, acid 
or insipid taste, as is the case with most other proposed substitutes, and its con- 
genial accordance with the entire human organism. Some contend that its 
flavor is a combination of the best Potato and Arrowroot. 

6th. Its long keeping and freedom from all decay, as it never rots in the 
ground or out of it. 

It retains its excellence for more than a year, thus rendering it of pre-eminent 
importance under every contingency, and especially so in long sea voyages, and 
as its character is antiscorbutic, it furnishes a preventive against scurvy and 
similar diseases. I have myself preserved the roots in an ordinary cellar without 
any extra care until June of the second year, when they were firm and sound, 
free from all sprouts, and in perfect condition. They may be kiln dried and thus 
preserved for the various uses for an indefinite period of time. 

7th. It is a purifying and highly nutritious Constitutional Food, beneficial to 
the mind as well as to the body, and capable of developing the muscular power 
of man to its fullest capacity. 

8th. The root being perfectly hardy, the crop, when desired, may be allowed 
to remain the entire winter in the open ground, or may be buried in burrows 
during autumn, ready when required for winter use. 



Statement op Jacob Raynor, of Queen's County, Long Island, N. Y. 

November 26th, 1868. 
I commenced the culture of the Chinese Yam in April, 1867, w ith lour tubers, 
and in April, 1868, I obtained six more, making ten tubers in all. These 
were all obtained from Mr. Prince, of Flushing. The stock growu from the 



above has now increased to 2,650 tubers and 169 large yams. The largest weigh- 
1 lb. I have boiled some for ten minutes, and eaten them ; and I have given 
some to my neighbors, and they have eaten them, and nearly all of them thought 
they were the best and richest potatoes they had ever eaten. 



The Crops of this Esculent having been so great, permanent, and reliable for 
countless ages in the vast Chinese Empire, it is a fair and legitimate assumption 
that its general introduction among the other great food producing nations of the 
world, must in time, by its immense product, create a complete revolution in the 
price of food, and by a gradual diminution in price reduce the cost of living 
everywhere, and more especially in all the northern climes of the earth, where 
heretofore there has been a comparative scarcity of food, as this best of ali- 
ments can be grown at a much cheaper rate than any other can be supplied, the 
cost in China being equivalent to |c. per day to a man. It will also render all 
deficiency of food an impossibility, which, taken in connection with the nutri- 
tious constituents of this root, cannot fail to have an important bearing on the 
health and vigor of the people at large. It will thus become the grand Con- 
servator from famine, not only of our own country, but of every other country 
that shall adopt its culture, the same as it has for so long proven to China and 
Japan, which vast nations its ample crops have preserved unvaryingly against all 
such calamities, whilst other countries have so frequently suffered from the 
direst visitations of famine. 

In the East Indies, and the immense Asiatic dominions under British coa- 
trol, extensive famines often prevail, which carry off from half a million to a 
full million of the inhabitants ; and even in the Northern countries of Europe, 
where civilization and its appliances exist, we hear of frequent famines, and 
even Ireland, the land pre-eminent for its potato crop, has been many times most 
severely afflicted by a severe dearth of food, which in some cases has approached 
a famine. And even during the past yeir, such was its condition ; and a famine 
existed also in Northern Germany, and in part of Russia. 

But we have now presented for our acceptance, an Esculent, combining every 
element of excellence, which is precisely adapted to the most Northern regions 
where man abides, and one which will there supply from their own soil and 
labor, all the food adequate to the requirements of humanity. 

It is a highly interesting scientific fact, that the enigma which had so long- 
puzzled the brains of our professed thinkers, and who could fix on naught but Rice 
as the alimentary basis of this vast Nation wlich consumes no meat, when 
reflection would teach us Rice was an impossibility on account of its required 
irrigation, has at last been solved, and that its Agricultural statistics prove to 
us that the cultivation of this Yam, so nutritious and so universally productive, 
is as general and the varieties as numerous as in the Potato culture with us, and 
they thus reveal to us still further, the astounding fact that if the vast middle 
and northern regions of that mighty Empire, populated by more than 350 mil- 
lions of happy and contented people, were deprived of this one vertical root, 
and received in lieu of it, every other known vegetable of the earth, more than 
one-half of that enormous population would perish from famine. It is not only 
used by them in its natural state after being boiled or roasted, but it also sup- 
plies universally the flour or meal for general use in the making of bread, pastry, 
&c. In fact, it is this one esculent which has constituted the alimentary diet of 
the Chinese and Japanese Empires for countless ages. As a most remarkable 
fact in the history of the most populous Nation of our globe, and as an evidence 
of intelligence mo3t wisely applied where necessity most demanded, we quote 
from their statistics this fact. It is there recorded that in certain Districts 
where the dense population is greatly in excess of the area of soil, they have 



recourse to an artificial mode of culture. They trench tjbe ground five feet 
deep, and place the entire deposit of manure at the bottom, leaving the other 
portion of the soil sterile. When thus prepared, they select a peculiar variety 
of the Tarn, which has a propensity to penetrate deeply, and this root seeking 
for the aliment below penetrates to the depth of 40 inches, forming immense 
roots, and yielding thus a treble crop. By this mode of culture they obtain 
from a space of land 12 feet by 3, a sufficiency of food to sustain a man a year. 
It would seem that Nature desired to impart to this plant every estimable char- 
acteristic required as a special provision for an abundant crop of the long 
varieties of this Tarn, and that these were in exact accordance with what the 
circumstances demanded in the Chinese Empire, the regular vertical growth of 
the root without any branching, it thus occupying no extra space in the earth, 
but allowing for the entire occupancy by the greatest possible number of plants 
in a given space. 

Another important fact is, that the roots of the long varieties penetrate so 
deeply into the earth, that no drought can affect them, and they evidently draw 
a larger portion of their nutrition from the depth of the earth than from the 
atmostphere, as is plainly evinced by the comparatively diminutive develop- 
ment of vines and foliage. These points, when duly considered, must be deemed 
most important and interesting facts for the reflective mind. In the Chinese 
Agricultural Books we find more pages devoted to the culture of this Escalent, 
and to the descriptions of the many varieties than to any other Agricultural 
object whatever. Why is this, and how is it to be accounted for, except by the 
greater appreciation of its National importance ? We find there that a plantation 
of this root is termed, " A permanent Magazine of Food," and that the roots 
are dug for use every day throughout the year, thus always furnishing a fresh 
supply of what we should term, " New Potatoes." We further find that when 
this plantation or magazine of food is once established.it does not require 
renewal annually, but that the small sections of roots which are broken off and 
the numerous tubers produced, continually replenish all exhaustion, in the same 
manner as is done in our Horse Radish fields. In China where the area of land 
is so disproportionate, the hill sides which would otherwise be useless, are 
terraced and planted with this root, which seemingly will flourish anywhere. 
The plantations cover every available location, and are denominated by them 
" A Grand National Resource." This Yam furnishes flour of a purer whiteness 
than wheat, and which surpasses it in nutritious and farinaceous excellence, and 
may be applied to all simihar purposes as food. It supplies all their bread, and 
is used in pastry and every other way. It is furthermore declared to be highly 
beneficial to invalids, and especially so in diseases of the chest, and to be the 
great preventive of consumption, a disease which seem3 to be uuknown in that 
country. And indeed, its nitrogenous constituent would impart to it this 
character, and more especially so when a total abstinence from meat as food 
exists, which is of itself one of the greater promotives of Consumptive 
affections. 

Why has this Esculent been hitherto Unknown ? 

To the many inquiries, why we have not obtained this important Esculent 
before, I answer, that our only intercourse with China until of late years was 
interdicted to Canton, a port within the Tropics, and from which we obtained 
only tropical products, one of which was the Chinese Tropical Yam — Dio 
Sitiva — long cultivated extensively in the West India Islands, and elsewhere in 
the Tropics, but which is entirely unsuited to Northern latitudes. It was not 
until Shanghae and other ports of Northern China were opened, more than a 
thousand miles distant from Canton, that we became familiarized with the pro- 
ductions of Northern China and Tartary, extending to the limits of the Tom- 



perate Zone. And even after that event, much delay resulted from an erroneous 
idea that this Yam, which they cultivated at the North, was identical with the 
species which we had long previously obtained from Canton. Most fortunately, 
however, Mr. Montigny, then French Consul, discovered its distinctive charac- 
ter ; and in a collection of Chinese productions he transmitted a few roots to 
France. I was so fortunate as to obtain some of the first crops of tubers, but a 
root was an impossibility. It was at a critical period of our Potato rot, and I 
at once realized its immense importance to our country, as a God-given substi- 
tute for that failing and uncertain esculent which seemed destined to an entire 
abandonment. And when we consider and realize the fact that we have the 
same genial temperature as Northern China, the same glowing and vivifying sun- 
shine, with a dry and warm Summer climate, precisely assimilating with theirs, 
we may feel assured that this Chinese Yam will find here as favorable combi- 
nations of climate and soils as in its native regions ; and our experience thus 
far has proven that we shall not fail to obtain the same vast product of this 
most estimable esculent from our own fields, as has been for ages lavished on 
that favored but secluded Oriental nation, whose existence we have almost 
ignored ; a Nation whose triumphant attainments in Agriculture, like to their 
attainments in Science, in the Arts, and even in a pure and spiritualized Reli- 
gion, date back to a period in the world's history, thousands of years before the 
then barbarian Nations of Europe imparted to mankind the slightest scintilla- 
tions of light and of knowledge, to illume the path of man's benighted history. 

Positive and Conclusive Facts Assuring us of its Successful 
Culture in our Country. 

There are some great and imposing considerations for the favorable adoption 
and positive success of the culture of this Esculent in our country, which seem 
to never have attracted attention, nor to have been duly considered. The 
Chinese Empire comprises nearly the same latitudes as our own country, with a 
variation in climate of only two degrees in corresponding latitudes from that of 
our Atlantic States. China, furthermore, presents the same slope to the Ocean 
and the same characteristic position as our Atlantic front. This climatic 
affinity is most strikingly recognized by Nature in the similarity of Vegetable 
productions ; and there are more than twenty genera of trees and shrub3, with 
numerous species, which are nowhere to be found except in China and North 
America. 

Soil and Preparation. 

A light and permeable soil is the most suitable. It may be entirely sandy, or a 
sandy loam. Even the sandy Atlantic shore lands of Long Island, New Jersey, 
and the entire coast range, hitherto deemed barren and almost useless, may be 
appropriated successfully to its culture, and they all will be so in after time. 

The plants seem to flourish best with occasional rains, and the humid atmos- 
phere near the sea coast would therefore seem to be very favorable to their 
growth. 

The ground should be well ploughed and harrowed, as is usual in farm culture, 
say to the depth of twelve inches, and be thus rendered mellow and permeable. 
The manure should be as thoroughly mixed throughout the soil as is possible. 
The preferable manure is decayed leaves, or the decomposed vegetable mould 
which is found in the forests, or decayed and pulverized peat. Old decom- 
posed stable manure may also be used, but all fresh stable manures and pou- 
drette are unsuitable. Of the manufactured artificial manures, some may with- 
out doubt prove suitable for permauent use. This depth of ploughing is amply 
sufficient for tli3 Prolific White, Pekin White, and for all the round, globular, 
and ovate varieties. Amateurs who may desire to grow the Long White 
variety, and to grow roots of 18 to 20 inches in length, will use a deep plough 



8 

and mellow the earth to a proportionate depth, by which, means they will of 
course obtain a double crop, more difficult, however, to get out, except with the 
improved beet and carrot ploughs, or until we adapt some new ploughing ma- 
chine to the purpose, which mechanical ingenuity will doubtless soon provide. 
In light, sandy soils, the labor will be comparatively easy, and in all cases the 
increased crop will cover any extra expense many times over. 

Field Planting. 

For regular crop, the Roots are usually cut into sections of about 11 incbe& 
in length. These when cut should be spread for 48 hours, and the sap thereby 
allowed to pass off from the cuts, which will then dry up. Where the tillage is 
to be performed by the hoe, the Roots should be placed 9 inches apart in the 
row, and the rows 15 inches asunder, or they may be set 12 inches apart in the 
row, and the rows 12 inches asunder , this last course rendering the Roots equi- 
distant throughout. Although the roots are covered with countless minute 
eyes, provided by Nature for her wise purposes, the most minute section of 
which will vegetate, and does so in the renewal of the field crops, I recommend 
that no sections be planted of less size than I have above named. In 
Field culture of small Tubers, where no crop can be looked for but small roots, 
they are usually planted in rows 8 inches asunder, and distant 5 to 6 inches in 
the row. 

The planting here recommended is where the cultivation would be by the hoe. 
Hereafter a course of field culture will be adopted, where the plough and harrow 
will be used, and then the most simple course of culture will be adopted, pre- 
cisely the same as with the common potato, but in rows instead of in hills, and 
the distance of the rows will in like manner be adapted to the plough. The 
usual crop has been elsewhere stated. 

Crop from Tubers. 

The growth of the vines is similar to the Sweet Potato, and they run over the 
ground, or ascend any poles or bushes placed for the purpose. Each tuber of 
the long varieties, produces one straight root, differing in length according to 
the variety, some 10 to 12 inches, and others 12 to 18 inches, and the round, 
globose and oval varieties produce roots of their respective character. These 
roots usually weigh from 8 oz. to 1^ and 2 pounds each. The new tubers are 
produced at the axits of the leaves, and when the plants are well cared for, 
they average 20 to 35 to each vine, and often more. The blossoms are very 
diminutive, but fill the air with a delicious Cinnamon perfume, and the vines are 
consequently very often trained on piazzas and trellises as valuable appendages. 
Some persons place a pole about 5 feet in height to each plant and train the 
vines thereon, but in general they allow the vines to trail on the ground the 
same as the sweet potato. 

Carden Planting. 

For the present, whilst both Roots and Tubers are comparatively scarce, a 
system may be pursued which, by allowing more facilities for culture, will be 
sure to realize more extensive crops. For the attainment of this object, I pro- 
pose that the rows be 20 to 24 inches apart, and that the tubers be set at 12 to 
15 inches apart in the rows. This is the course I at present adopt for my own 
planting, and it will probably prevail for some time, whilst the roots continue 
scarce and of great value. Any extra attention to weeding and to culture will 
of course be beneficial as with every other garden production. 

Period of Planting. 

Its hardihood against all frosts and cold admits of its being planted at the 
first opening of spring, long before the potato can be trusted, which gives to it 
the great advantage of a prolonged season for growth. The planting should be 



performed as promptly as possible after the frost has left the ground and it has 
become settled, and after planting no fears need be entertained as to any subse- 
quent frosts or freezing, as the root or tuber when in the ground will withstand 
any cold. No manure should come in coutact with the roots or tubers at the 
time of planting. The roots should be covered with about two inches of earth, 
and the tubers with one inch. Early planting by extending the season has 
proven so highly beneficial by the increase of the crop, that I think fall planting 
will be eventually adopted as preferable, the winter freezing being no prevent- 
ive, as it does not injure the roots. By a course of fall planting it is supposed 
that the crop will be increased fully 20 per cent. It is found that the greatest 
increase in the size of the roots takes place after the summer heat is passed, 
and during the autumnal months, when the weather has become cooler, which 
proves the great advantage of a prolonged season. It is therefore best to defer 
digging the crop for winter use till the latest possible period. 

Wintering the Crop for Use. 

The crop desired for winter use can be ploughed out or dug out during the 
autumn, at any time most convenient before the ground freezes. The stock of 
roots may then be buried in suitable burrows, or be placed in a cellar ready for 
daily family use. It is the usual practice to cut off the slender neck (upper 
portion) of the root, and to place these aside for spring planting, and then to 
store the main roots for use. These should be allowed to dry for some days 
, before being packed away for the winter. 

Present Prospects of Cultivators of this Yam. 

The number of persons who have hitherto devoted their attention to the cul- 
ture of this Esculent has been very limited, but they are now rapidly increasing, 
as the public attention seems greatly attracted to its importance, so that every 
day purchases are made by amateurs, who will ardently engage in the culture 
the coming season. And indeed, nothing can be more tempting in a lucrative 
point of view, as there must for 3 or 4 years to come, be a most active demand 
for all the surplus roots and tubers which the growers will spare. These will 
be quickly purchased by the many who will be attracted by this new pursuit as 
soon as the knowledge becomes general, and the present cultivators of the po- 
tato, will, on account of its rot and other maladies, gradually abandon it as un- 
reliable and unprofitable, and adopt the Yam on account of its hardihood, 
the certainty of its crops, and its admirable properties. The potato, in past 
time, has been called the poor man's bread, but with how much greater justice 
may we give to the Chinese Yam this favorable appellation. 

Supersedure of the Potato in all Northern Climes, and through- 
out our Northern, Eastern and Western States. 

The introduction of the Tropical Potato from the coast region of South 
America, has led to a continual war against Nature in our endeavors to accli- 
mate a tender plant, subject, at all times, to the maladies of a new location and 
climate, and always destructible by frost to the plant, or by freezing to the root 
itself. Grown under these adverse conditions, its culture could only be ex- 
tended so far North as the length of the summer would permit, by a sufficiency 
of time for the maturity of the root. The precarious culture of this plant has 
been of late years so dubious and unreliable, subject to the rot and other diseases, 
and to utter blight and decay, that the frequent results have been the destruction 
of entire crops, at periodical returns, which has proven mostly calamitous to its 
cultivators. Thus, a great scarcity has often resulted, with enhanced prices for 
this hitherto indispensable article of food. 

This combination of untoward circumstances, so fatal to this plant, has caused 
reflective minds to seek for an appropriate substitute. 



10 

Our Agricultural statistics show, that in the State of Maine, the crop in 1867 
was but 10 per cent., and that in numerous years, it has proven a total failure, 
not only there, but in parts of several of the Middle States, and throughout 
almost the entire AVestern States, where in fact they no longer look upon the 
culture of the potato as worthy of further attention. 

The price which some years since was but 25 cents per bushel, has now ad- 
vanced to $1 and $1.50, which has a most oppressive influence on the poorer 
classes who have always been large consumers. 

The past year, 1868, the cold and frequent rains in Maine and other Eastern 
States which continued until the middle of June caused the Potatoes to rot in 
the "round. In numerous Counties of Illinois and Michigan, the Potato bug 
has become a permanent destroyer, so that many declare that reliance on its 
future culture is out of the question. In other Western and Northern States 
the Potato culture has been attended with the most discouraging results. It 
may therefore be readily foreseen, that the time is approaching when this tender 
and unreliable Tropical root is destined to an entire rejection and abandonment, 
not only by our Northern, Eastern and Western States, but by the British Pro- 
vinces. 

How auspicious then is the discovery aud the advent to our Country of the 
Chinese Yam, which we may justly hail as the crowning gift of an all-beneficent 
Providence. Henceforth when deploring the disastrous blights, failures and 
disappointments, which have changed our Potato fields from former health to 
their present decay, we may confidently congratulate ourselves on the attainment 
of a grand desideratum, a substitute far more estimable in all its properties than 
the Potato, a hardy and vigorous plant, a native of countries still colder than 
our own, and which combines within itself all the characteristics that our most 
ardent desires could have demanded. 

This Chinese Yam will first supersede the Potato in our Northern, Eastern 
and Western States, whence its culture will be extended to the vast British 
Territories at the north, until it becomes everywhere the grand basal constituent 
for food of all Northern America, where the Potato and Indian Corn never hare 
been and never cau be grown, thus providing those regions now being opened 
to the world with ample alimentary resources, as it has already done to China, 
Japan, Tartary and all Northern Asia. Its culture will also be adopted through- 
out Northern Europe to which it offers the only reliable protection against the 
scanty product of their present Agricultural productions. Ireland will become 
a complete Yam storehouse not only for itself, but for supplying its needy 
northern neighbors. 

But little foresight of our mental vision is required to realize the momentous 
results which will be consummated when this nutritious, excellent, and abundant 
product of food is thus disseminated, thereby developing the ever progressive and 
benign purposes of God and Nature, in their ample provision for the destinies of 
Humanity. But the mighty and boundless area for wluch God and Nature have 
designed this Esculent as the most gladdening and beneficent boon, destined to 
occupy a controlling position as the most important alimentary basis, comprises 
the vast Western regions of our own Country, stretching over our entire Con- 
tinent to the shores of the Pacific, and extending its Herculean arms grasping on 
the one side the polar north, and on the other that Isthmus which is to become 
the channel through which we shall ere long command and extend our vast com- 
merce with the world. 

In this mighty domain of intelligence and industry, will in the future ages be 
found the teeming millions, equalling and perhaps surpassing the vast aggregate 
of the Chinese and Japan Empires, and all sustained and cherished by the same 
nutritious, healthful, and purifying food. 



11 

The redundancy of the mighty Western Prairie fields will yield such ample 
crops, that all other Nations may there obtain their wonted supplies, and thence- 
forth a Depot for this Vegetable food will be established in connection with our 
Western Granary of the World ! I shall iu a future publication discuss the effect 
of this wise dispensation of Vegetable food in a Humanitarian point of view, and 
will call for especial attention to the bodily and mental influence exercised by its 
amelioiating character on the mild, peaceable, and happy Chinese people, who 
never quarrel but are always calmly disposed ; whilst on the other hand we will 
consider the brutal character of the British and other Nations who consume Meat 
as food, and who as a result are ever ready for fight and carnage. 

Ignorant Cavillers and Doubters. 

It is really amusing to witness the stupid errors of that class of ignorant 
cavillers, or rather of addle-headed doubters, of the merits of this great esculent, 
who have called it a humbug as they have done with every other improvement. 

When first brought here, we of course received none but the tubers, which 
produce roots only of moderate size the first year ; and the price being high, one 
class of doubters would buy noue, but raised a hue and cry against the plant. 
Some few who did purchase, found great fault when the autumn came that they 
did not have big roots, which can never be grown from tubers till the second year, 
and they threw up its culture in disgust and cried out humbug. But very few 
of them were planted in this State, and it seemed so impossible to convince 
■people that a Yam could be grown at the north, that I was compelled to call it a 
Chinese Potato in order to induce any persons to plant it at all. Then we were 
told that the Chinese trenched 4 to 5 feet, and some supposed that was the com- 
mon mode of culture, when their usual culture is the same as in our Potato fields, 
and the most of their 50 varieties are round, ovate, and oval, and grow near the 
surface. 

There is one class of idlers who never investigate, yet desire always to appear 
wise when questioned. It was one of these who knew that the sow eat up the 
grindstone. They pronounced the whole thing a humbug — of course the 350 
millions of Chinese knew nothing about their plant. Eveu the present winter 
silly statements have been made about their running so deep in the ground that 
the cost of getting them out is ruinous, when most of the kinds grow only 3 to 4 
inches under the surface. But one person in this State beside myself grew the 
ro ots extensively on their first arrival— John G. Sickles of Stuy vesant. He grew 
some roots weighing 5 lbs. and one that weighed 15 lbs. and has always continued, 
and recommended their culture. Charles Downing of Newburg has also grown 
them, and expresses his amazement that their culture is not generally adopted. 

1 took the precaution last spring to secure favorable Reports by sending Roots 
to Horace Greely, Win. L. Allison, T. B. Miner and Thos. Mehan, all Editors of 
leading papers, and expected to thus put an end to all false cavillings. Greatly 
to my disappointment their gardeners have in every case neglected to cultivate 
them. ButVe have plain Jacob Raynor's most triumphant Report, which sets 
all cavilling at rest. 

There is still one other most important point which has not yet been considered. 
New varieties can be readily produced from seeds, and we can thus obtain such 
as are well suited to every section of our country, and of every form and char- 
acter as we do with the Potato. 

This plant is of so hardy and simple culture, that the tubers and seeds have 
become naturalized in my grounds, springing up spontaneously in the beds and 
hedgerows. 

The Roots which I have exhibited at the Public Fairs of the American Insti- 
tute and elsewhere, have weighed 20 to 28 oz., but I have grown many of 3 lbs. 
The usual size grown from sections of the root of the oblong varieties! s 12 oz. to 
\y 2 lbs. 



r_> 

The ordinary product of thifl '.-cnlent, by increase of tlje root and by tub< 
equivalent to 40 to 50 fold, and this ratio may be much increased by special at 
tention as is demonstrated by Jacob Raynors statement. When the roots an 
boiled for use, they require but ten minutes. 

Varieties of the Chinese Yam which we have now under 

Cultivation. 

Long White. 20 to 25 inches; Pekin Medium White, 12 to 15 inches; Prolific 
White, J •> to 12 inches ; Oblong While. 7 inches ; Ovate, 5 to C> inches ; Round. 
3 to 4 inches : Globose. 5 inches. Of the other varieties the number is yet too 
limited to admit of any sales. 

X. B. — A most estimable assorted collection has been received direct from 
Shanghae the past month (February) which had been selected there by a friend 
at my special request. 

Prices— Chinese White Northern Yam. 

Tubers will be mailed prepaid for cash. Thousand, $100. Hundred. 
Fifty, $8. Roots in sections for crop planting, $18 per 100. After April 10th 
the prices wiil be advanced. 

Seeds in Assortments. 

X. P>. — These seeds are of kinds that cannot be purchased elsewhere. 

An Assortment of Flowering Shrubs, Seeds of 20 Rpecies. mixed, 61. 

An Assortment of Annual and Perennial Flowers, Seeds. 25 species, mixed. SI . 

Pyrenean Spinach, perennial, $1. 



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Professor of Medical Botany, Author of the Treatises en Horticulture 
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